Vancouver school board race close in early returns
64 votes separate Zavala-Ortega, Belkot
Published: August 3, 2021, 10:01pm
Share: Julie Bocanegra and Mike Appel were leading in vote totals for Evergreen School District, Seat No. 1, on election night.
Just 64 votes separate the top candidates vying for a seat on the Vancouver school board.
Early results from Tuesday’s primary show Position 2 incumbent Sandra Zavala-Ortega neck-and-neck with challenger and political newcomer Michelle Belkot with more than 16,000 votes cast. Zavala-Ortega had 5,435 votes (33.92 percent) compared with Belkot’s 5,371 (33.52 percent). Both candidates will advance to November’s general election.
Zavala-Ortega was appointed to the board in the spring, and said Tuesday night she was happy to see results in her favor.
In Our View: 3 stand out for Vancouver Public Schools, Position 2 columbian.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from columbian.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
4 vie for Position 2 on Vancouver Public Schools board
Candidates address critical race theory, other district issues with editorial board
Published: July 12, 2021, 4:49pm
Share: Chartisha Roberts Photo Gallery
A full slate of school board candidates outlined how their experiences and vision will serve families in Clark County’s second-largest school district.
The four candidates for Vancouver Public Schools’ Board of Directors Position 2 recently met with The Columbian’s Editorial Board. Sandra Zavala-Ortega, the incumbent, Chartisha Roberts, a human resources professional, Kathleen O’Claire, a certified risk manager, and Michelle Belkot, a procurement analyst, face off in the August primary.
The top two finishers out of the Aug. 3 primary advance to the November general election. Primary ballots will be mailed out beginning Friday.
A plan to hold a low-key Q&A session with state Sen. Ann Rivers at Felida Park escalated into a rally Thursday afternoon, with around 200 people gathering to protest against mask mandates and vaccine guidelines in Washington’s schools.